Pelt-stretcher



No. 752,950. PATEHTED FEB! 23, 1904.

P. M. BOWMAN. BELT STRETGHBR.

APPLIOATIOR FILED NOV. 20, 1903.

H0 MODEL.

W/TA/ESSES: ZNVENTOR m: nonms Pn'zws co woraumcv wAsmumo a c.

UNITED STATES Patented February 23, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

PE LT-STBETCH ER.

SPECIFIGATION forming-part of Letters Patent No: 752,950, dated February 23, 1904. Application filed November 20, 1903. Serial No. 181,958. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. BOWMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Colfax, in the county of Whitman and State of VVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pelt-Stretchers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and .to the figures of reference marked thereon, which'form a part of this specification.

This invention comprises a device for stretching pelts, and has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive device with which pelts of various sizes can be easily and successfully stretched. It is particularly adapted for the hides of the smaller fur-bearing animals, such as mink, marten, and. rat skins.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of the device. Fig. 2 is an end view thereof, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the stretcher in use.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the parts of the stretcher comprise a cross-piece 6 and a bow 7. The cross-piece is conveniently formed of wood or metal and the bow preferably formed of spring-wire bent to a long and narrow shape approximately that required to distend a skin. The ends of the bow are notched on the inside, as at 7, and these ends project through holes 6 in the cross-piece. There is a series of these holes,

so that the bow may be widened or narrowed according to the size of the skin to be stretched. The ends of the bow are removable from the holes and may be placed in'the nearer or farther holes, according to the size of the pelt. The tension of the pelt causes the notches to engage in the cross-piece and hold the bow at the proper adjustment.

To hold the skin on the bow and assist the stretching operation, a number of removable hooks 8 are used, which may be engaged in holes 6 around the edge of the cross-piece and also in the edge of .the pelt, as shown in Fig. 3. These hooks are used onboth sides of the cross-piece.

In use the point of the bow is inserted into the pelt, and the lattenis connected to the cross-piece by the hooks 8. The bow is then forced out with respect to the cross-piece until the pelt is distended to the extent desired. The engagement of the notches and the crosspiece prevents any slip of the parts.

It will be seen that the apparatus may be cheaply and easily constructed without special tools or appliances. The pelt may be stretched without being split, and nailing or tacking through the same is avoided.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

FRANCIS M. BOWMAN.

Witnesses:

R. H. LAGEY, C. L. KENNEDY. 

